Fruit-box



(No Model.)

0. W. WESTON.

FRUIT BOX.

No. 474,276. Patented May 3, 18.92.

NITED STATES CHARLES W. WESTON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FRUIITHBOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. %74,276, dated May 3, 1892.

Application filed October 22, 1891- Serial No. 409,543- (No models To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. WEsToN, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to make, use, and practice the same.

My invention has reference to that class of small open-top boxes made of thin sheets of wood or paper in which small fruits are put upon the market for sale; These boxes are usually made of two thin sheets of wood, called veneer sheets, which are placed across one another flatwise, and the ends of the sheets are then turned up and secured by a metallic binding or rim, so as to form a cheap box or basket suitable for containing a specified quantity of fruit, which is then sold as an unbroken package. This construction leaves narrow unclosed openings at the corners of the boxes, upon which alone the fruit contained in the boxes depends for ventilation; but experience has demonstrated that such openings are not sufficient to supply a circulation of air to the body of fruit contained in the box, because that which occupies the central portion directly above the crossed sheets which form the bottom of the box cannot receive ventilation from these corner openings, and consequently that portion becomes deteriorated,especially if left to stand any length of time in the boxes, as is often necessary.

My invention consists in cutting out one or more narrow slots in the veneers or sheets which extend across the bottom of the box and extending these slots a portion of the distance up the sides, but leaving an unbroken end portion to each strip or sheet at and below the rim or edge of the box, all as hereinafter more fully specified.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top View of a box, showing the open bottom. Fig. 2 is a plan of one veneer with slots.

Let A B represent the two thin veneers of wood which are used to form the box. These veneers or sheets are cut from the block or log of wood while it is in a moist or softened condition, so that before the sheets become dry they can be cut and handled without much danger of splitting them. While they are in this condition I cut out and remove one or more narrow strips taken lengthwisefrom the sheet, so as to form slots 0 0, extending from 'within an inch (more or less) of one end to within an inch (more or less) of the opposite end of the sheet, as represented at Fig. 2. The sheets are then scored in the usual way to permit the bending of the sides upward. The sheets are then laid across each other and their sides bent upward and secured by a metallic binding or rim cl in the usual Way, thus completing the box. The slots 0 cin the sheets will thus form openings in the bottom and sides of the box through which an abun dant supply of air will pass to penetrate the entire body of fruit contained in the box.

The strength of the box is not materially affected by the slots, as the unbroken rim and portion below the rim will insure sufficient stability to the upper part of the box, while the crossed strips of the bottom will brace and form the strength of the bottom or lower part.

It is evident that paper sheets and other like material could be provided with the slots and used the same way to form a ventilating fruit-box. I

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

The fruit-box having its crossing veneer CHARLES W'. YVESTON.

Witnesses;

M. G. LoEFLnR, CHARLES J. ARMBRUSTER. 

